to make someone open his eyes
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
To surprise him very much, and make him stare with wonder or admiration.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “to make someone open his eyes” mean?
To surprise him very much, and make him stare with wonder or admiration.
Is “to make someone open his eyes” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.